Border forces from India and China clashed near the contested frontier that divides Arunachal Pradesh. On Monday, December 12, news agencies cited sources and reported the incident occurred in the Tawang sector the previous Friday, December 9, noting that the two sides have since disengaged from the clash area.
According to the reports, Chinese troops crossed the Line of Actual Control into the Indian hand of the boundary but were repelled decisively by Indian forces. A small number of soldiers on both sides sustained minor injuries, and both contingents withdrew from the area following the encounter.
conflict history
The absence of a clearly demarcated boundary in the Himalayas—where the Line of Actual Control currently marks the frontier—has long fueled tensions between India and China. In 1959, New Delhi asserted that the Chinese side had seized part of Arunachal Pradesh, and in 1962 the two nations fought a war that resulted in significant territorial changes, including portions of Ladakh and the Aksai Chin region coming under Chinese control.
In early May 2020, a sharp confrontation unfolded in eastern Ladakh between Indian and Chinese military forces. During the night of June 15–16, clashes near Pangong Tso Lake and subsequently along the Galwan River led to casualties on both sides. The scale of the disagreement prompted both nations to move heavy artillery, tanks, and aircraft toward the region, with each side increasing troop numbers to about fifty thousand in the affected areas.
After a lengthy phase of diplomatic and military talks, both sides began mutual troop withdrawals in February 2021, gradually reducing the postures in the contested zones. In September of the following year, reports indicated that India had positioned its latest artillery systems in eastern Ladakh, operating along the Line of Actual Control with China. Officials described the deployment of ultralight M-777 howitzers—purchased from the United States and delivered by Chinook helicopters—as part of a broader effort to strengthen readiness in the border areas. At that time, three regiments of these howitzers were noted to be deployed in the region.
In July 2022, India called for a reduction in military activity along the eastern Ladakh frontier. Conversations focused on stabilizing the Chang Chenmo sector and the Depsang Plateau, with the aim of restoring the pre-2020 status quo. The Indian side urged de-escalation, the cessation of construction activity by the People’s Liberation Army in Ladakh, and the withdrawal of forces from the front lines as a prerequisite for lasting peace in the border zones (sources: military and diplomatic briefings).